or permission to fly at them.

"The Pale-face traders are glad to meet with the Peigans," began
Cameron, who determined to make no allusion to his knowledge that they
were a war party, "for they wish to be friends with all the children
of the woods and prairies. They wish to trade with them--to exchange
blankets, and guns, and beads, and other goods which the Peigans
require, for furs of animals which the Pale-faces require."

"Ho! ho!" exclaimed the Indians, which expression might be translated,
"Hear! hear!"

"But," continued Cameron, "we wish to have no war. We wish to see the
hatchet buried, and to see all the red men and the white men smoking
the pipe of peace, and hunting like brothers."

The "Ho--ho--ing" at this was very emphatic.

"Now," resumed the trader, "the Peigans have got two prisoners--two
Pale-faces--in their camp, and as we cannot be on good terms while our
brothers are detained, we have come to ask for them, and to _present
some gifts_ to the Peigans."

To this there was no "Ho" at all, but a prolonged silence, which was
at length interrupted by a tall chief stepping forward to address the
trappers.

"What the Pale-face chief has said is good," began the Indian. "His
words are wise, and his heart is not double. The Red-men are willing
to smoke the pipe of peace, and to hunt with all men as brothers, but
they cannot do it while many of their scalps are hanging in the lodges
of their enemies and fringing the robes of the warriors. The Peigans
must have vengeance; then they will make peace."

After a short pause he continued,--

"The chief is wrong when he says there are Pale-faces in the Peigan
camp. The Peigans are not at war with the Pale-faces; neither have
they seen any on their march. The camp is open. Let the Pale-faces
look round and see that what we say is true."

The chief waved his hand towards his warriors as he concluded, as if
to say, "Search amongst them. There are no Pale-faces there."

Cameron now spoke to Dick in a low tone. "They speak confidently," he
said, "and I fear greatly that your poor comrades have either been
killed or conveyed away from the camp and hidden among the mountains,
in which case, even though they should not be far off, it would be
next to impossible to find them, especially when such a band of
rascals is near, compelling us to keep together. But I'll try what a
little tempting them with goods will do. At any rate, we shan't give
in without a scuffle